National Work
Zone Awareness Week is an annual campaign by the U.S. Department of
Transportation's Federal Highway Administration at the start of spring
construction season to encourage safe driving through work sites. On
Friday, April 8, National Grid displayed reminders at selected work sites in
the company's service area as a cue to drivers to be conscious of the safety of
utility crews working in their communities.

Nationwide, the
Federal Highway Administration reports that there were 667 work zone fatalities
in 2009.

"Although
National Grid crews are trained in work zone safety, wear high-visibility
clothing, and post warning signs near work sites, the areas require heightened
attention from drivers," said Chad Martin, director of safety at National Grid.
"National Grid urges motorists to use extreme caution in work zones and to pay
attention to warning signs. Inattentive or aggressive driving in these
areas could mean the difference between life and death."

National Grid
offers motorists the following tips to maintain safety near utility crew work
zones:

Merge as soon as possible. Do not wait until the last
second. This will help to keep traffic flowing smoothly.

Follow any and all instructions on warning signage.

Keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in
front of you, as well as any traffic barriers, construction
vehicles/equipment and workers.

Plan ahead - have an alternate route.

Please have patience. National Grid personnel are
working to improve the safety and reliability of your energy network.
Cutting off other motorists, traveling at high speeds and ignoring posted
warnings all serve to further slow the flow of traffic and to endanger
everyone in the area.

Slow down immediately when you see indicators of
roadside work in progress and always leave plenty of braking time between
you and the car in front of you. A vehicle going 60 mph travels 88 feet
per second.

National Grid is an international energy
delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to
approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York
and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an
agreement with the Long Island Power Authority. It is the largest
distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4
million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island.
National Grid also owns more than 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity
generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.